Jamie's Blog

Ending Badly

I am not much of a fan of Tom Cruise, I think he is bat-ass crazy actually.  But I used to really dig him (oh gawd, did I just say that?) back when he made  movies like The Outsiders, Taps, Risky Business and of course Cocktail.  I think it was one of the first adult films I got to see at the theatre as an adult, it was probably a date.  Tom Cruise is a bartender who aspires to own a business and finds love with Elisabeth Shue while working in a bar in Jamaica.  However, before the big happy ending comes, Tom Cruise gives one of my favorite quotes;

All things end badly, otherwise they wouldn't end. 

Jamie's Painting & Design officially ended their rental agreement today with Property Management company that owns our space, or what was our space.  Today being the last day of the month and all I scheduled a walk-though at 1:00 p.m.  I was seriously done discussing the move....then this happened:

I Just Wanted Closure

I know this is not the end,but it feels like an ending.  On the last day of the month I wanted to walk through my office one last time.  I wanted to just look around, take a mental note or photograph of where we were.  I am one that needs closure, I do not do well without it.  I like TV shows or movies that wrap up every loose end tie a big ol' bow on it and hand it to me.  That is what I like.

We don't always get what we want though.But I could not do that.  Nope, did not happen like that. This past Monday (February 28, 2011) I went to my office and the locks had been already changed. Let that sink in for a minute - my last day, under contract.  The. Locks. Had. Been. Changed.

Nail in the Coffin

When I marched down to the Property Management Office I was told a number of things:

1. "The locksmith was here so we just figured he could change your locks."
2. "I looked in your window and it seemed you had moved everything out."
3. "We just were trying to save money too you know?"
4. "Well, we have been very good to you."
5. "You owe us for March."
6. "I can walk you through the office."

Ah....WHAT?  How could I rent for March?  I had to correct the landlord and tell her that I was not staying through March....especially since they changed the locks already!  She changed her tune quickly, but still had a lot more due than I thought we owed her.  Apparently when we paid rent late, we got a stiff fine....we paid rent late a lot.

Keep the Good News Coming

So, my slow waltz down memory lane would not be.  I would be followed around my office space with the Property Manager firing questions at me while she looked, sniffed and poked around my office space.

The walk through took a long time and was uncomfortable to say the least.  I had to go in and collect what few possessions I had left there.  I had to keep juggling some paper towels, a sponge,a water and hand soap.  I was Steve Martin in the movie The Jerk, carrying his lamp down the street.  This was not the look was after at all.  I was already a bit frazzled and now I looked like a bag lady clinging to her last worldly possessions.

The End of Our Agreement

The worst part of the exit interview/walk through were the questions the Property Manager kept firing at me.  I felt like I had gotten in trouble at school or something;

"Did you turn off the electricity?"

Yes....as of March 1st

"Did you forward the mail?"  

Yes....again, we were supposed to be out March 1st

"What about the phones?"  

I am not sure why that is relative, since there is no phone....uh, yes anyway we did.

"The garbage? Did you cancel that?"

 March 1st

"What is this shelving unit doing out here behind your office? Is this yours? Why is it out here!?"

Well, I was paying it forward you see and I gave Calvin our neighbor next door all of our large industrial shelves.  They can be quite expensive.  Did you know they cost a lot?  Anyway....sorry I am rambling.  So,  he took them out of here this morning, I gave him a key...before you changed the locks.  It looks like he is dismantling it......"

"But it is on your side of the property?  See the shelves are on your side.  This has to be moved.  You will be fined."

Let me get Calvin and make sure he drags his shelving unit over so I don't get fined.

Another Beginning

So.....instead of taking a quiet walk my rental space, quickly turned into me defending myself and badgering my neighbor about my/his shelving unit.  While, I should be congratulating myself for being smart and downsizing while times are tough - I was instead looking around nervously to make sure things are all in order. 

If I was religious I suppose I would be able to quote something about needing to go through the darkness to come out into the light.   Or if I was a better writer I could come up with something poetic and profound.  Maybe I just need something uplifting and spiritual that I could chant over and over till I believed it.   Instead I think I am going to end with a song that I have been singing over and over in my head the last few days.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end

                                                                   ~Semisonic, Closing Time Lyrics

 

These Are & Those Were The Days

As I already tweeted or facebooked (is that even a word?) we are downsizing , and we are doing it big time.  I am not saying that I was not sad (okay, yes I cried a few tears if you must know) by the huge change and pressure to downsize.  We are sub-letting space(s)  and moving some employees to work from home.  We can actually do that you know - without sounding like we losing the battle with the Economy.  I am not saying I am thrilled, but to be honest thinking smaller, meaner and leaner sounds pretty good to me these days. 

When we rented our space 4 years ago we were growing in leaps and bounds and had at any night up to 8 employees in the studio working.  It was very cramped and it was exhausting to manage everyone's schedules.  From morning till night we had people coming in and out of our home.  It wasn't their fault, heck I hired them - it was just too much for me to handle.

The Dog Days Are Over....Almost (oh and yes, yes I do  LOVE that song!)

The Economy still...uh sucks, and retail is um oh well it is challenging (I am trying my best to not be negative or have a potty mouth - so work with me) to say the least.  The Economists (the ones that are not totally bipartisan) claim that we will start seeing some real job growth and recovery in the summer of 2011.  I figure the worst is behind us and we can only get better, right?  Like I mentioned in last post - it could be worse, and right now I soooo know that.  I am thankful for all I have and I am still willing to pull up my pants by the boot straps (okay what does that even mean?  Stir-Up pants? Suspenders? Booty straps maybe?). 

Out With the Old In With the....Not Much New

Anyway - our lease is up and we are outta here.  I have actually started to get excited about scaling down and getting rid of extra baggage.  I already have a pile of decorations, frames and office decor on the table in the work room just ready to throw on Craig's List.  I also have a butt load...ton of inventory/samples/errors/duplicate orders to get rid of.  I am thinking 65% to 75% off retail to my Facebook Fans.  We won't have the space to just keep tons and tons of inventory and samples, which again is good and smart (I think).

So, while pulling a part my office space I have been doing a lot of thinking.  Just ripping nails out of walls and photographing all the samples we have in our warehouse has made me think a lot about the past, and mistakes I have made.  While cleaning out our space I came across some interesting items, and by interesting I mean all my notes, invoices and orders from our eight years in  business.  Most importantly (or most depressing) we saved them from 2005, probably the most prosperous year for Jamie's Painting & Design and the worst year for me personally. 

2005....It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times

So after pouring through the entire year in sales for 2005 I am able to look back with (I hope) an un-biased and rational eye.  The good, the bad and the oh so ugly literally jumped off the pages at me.  The orders, the notes take me right back to that year.  The way we stamped each order and signed off on the inking, the ribboning and the shipping - it was so time consuming.  I can see the mistakes we made and I can see the right decisions we made.  I can remember what it felt like, I can recall most of that year.  It was my last year of not sharing (that is code for before I started this blog) of hiding in my "in-house studio/garage" and finally realizing I was/am a really bad manager.  It was a simpler time back then, or so it seemed.

The Worst of Times in 2005:

• My Living Room had popcorn and bubblewrap  in one corner
• We never entertained because of our employees/business/supplies that flowed into every room
• My un-remodeled Master Bath was un-usable due to boxes and boxes of tiles stored in it
• My life was my business, and my business was my life
• I started work  (and my husband also) at 6:00 a.m. and usually till well past midnight 7 days a week
• We got an order for birth certificates for triplets from a channel, but one was still-born.  We refused to charge them for the 3rd birth certificate.  We got a heart-wrenching thank you letter from the customer.
• My daughter was put in the hospital the middle of December because she could not breathe.
• A few days before our drop dead date Warm Biscuit Bedding sent us a 100 page fax with more than 100 missing orders, due to a malfunction in their system (good for orders - bad that we were having a hard time filling all orders).
• At least 30 plates were shipped 2 day  (on our dime) and overnight (again us) to make our guaranteed Christmas deadline
• I was a bitch to everyone
• No really I was not a nice person

The Best of Times in 2005:

• Our orders were huge, people ordered Name Tiles for their daughter ISABELLA....now they order an I
• Everyone paid their bills on time
• Most companies gave us credit cards and they were never over their limits....NEVER!
• My employees made a lot of money and were paid top dollar to paint/ink our tiles
• I never had to take off my slippers to go to work
• That was the year Roy Disney ordered a tile
• We grew the business by 50% from the year earlier
• Darin (husband in case you are new) worked with me a lot - which I totally enjoyed.
• We had our first TV appearance at the un-godly hour of 6:00 a.m.......for one of our ornaments on The CBS Early Show.
• I got to work with some fabulous women, and I so looked forward to when they came into the office/studio/garage.

 The Past is in The Past

I am not one to really focus or obsess on the past.  I have never been that person, and I do not plan on changing.  When my friends were crying because our children stopped breast feeding, or started walking & talking - I was celebrating.  I approached parenthood like a project, with me checking of an invisible box when my child reached a milestone.    After each big event I gave a big "Hoo Ha!" and waited for the next.  I embraced change, I encouraged growth and I detested trying to hold our children back, but instead focused on moving them forward.

My business, though not as monumental or important as raising my children I have tried to come at it with the same philosophy.  It is hard for me to talk with young (wait for it, I am not being evil)  entrepreneurs that only came into their business within the last 2 or 3 years.  It is just that being an Entrepreneur during a Recession is not like being one during the Glory Days.  Yes, some things are similar - most are not.  Their growth is nothing like mine was and their losses are nothing like mine are/were.  Though in their defense they are probably smarter, leaner and more timid when it comes to taking risks.  Even as little as their companies  grow, they see the best, they are so positive - they are me from five, four or even eight years ago, an even though I do not want to go back to 2005, I wish I could talk to that me.  I wish I could give the me of January of 2005 a bit of advice.  And not that I have given it much thought (oh but I have), my speech would go something like this;

"Look Jamie I know that the last three years have been amazing and your business has been all that you can think of (or talk about - and trust me, your friends & family have all heard just about enough about it), but times are changing.  This year is going to be your toughest yet.  You will find yourself hiring a large number of employees. Please remember, with managing people comes a great responsibility.  You may (will) have to acknowledge that you are not a very good manager.  While we are discussing your weaknesses, I happen to know that  you do not separate business from personal life very well either.   Don't shoot the messenger, but this year will bring you to your knees - literally, not metaphorically.  You will be forced to accept that you can not separate business and home life and let's face it your business may (well will, but I am the wiser Jamie of 2011) over-run your home life.  Sales will be good or dare I say it better than ever."  

"Though I ask you at what cost?  I advice you to stay calm, stay sane and realize that this growth you have experienced will not keep up forever.  Look at the history of our country.  Lastly Jamie - try not to be so tightly wound and anal.  Try really hard not to be a.....uh a bitch.  You will thank me later.  Also, don't be in such a hurry to move the business out of the house.  Times are not as bad as you think, and you can work better/smarter/more efficient if you are willing to look at other options.   Lastly I would suggest you breathe, just breathe and enjoy your success - it will not last forever." 

Back to the Future of 2011

Oh how I wish like Back to the Future the Older Marty McFly could have sat me down and gave me that speech....oh wait I guess it would have been the older wiser Jamie McFly.  Anyways, if anything at least I have learned and grown from my very very hard lessons.  I hope I did not hurt those that worked for me.  I hope that they have forgiven me for the way I was.  As I look to downsize I think quite a bit about all those employees that worked with me in my garage.  I look around my now empty garage and wonder what they think of those years.  I may never know,  but I hope they know I am sorry and I wish I had handled that year better.

Top Ten Things I Didn't Share in 2010

When I was a little girl I always loved the end of the year specials on the news.  They would go over the highs and lows of what happened that year.  I was always so upset if I missed "The Year in Review".  As I got older I became obsessed with the top 10 songs of the year or the top 10 celebrities, top 10 books - I still get all sucked in to those stories. 

I thought maybe I should do that, well not 10 best things but my Year in Review on the blog.  Then I realized that was pretty much the easy way out and I would only be me just cutting and pasting parts of posts I wrote this past year.   Instead I am going to share the top ten things I did NOT share with you this year.  Sometimes I did not feel it warranted a whole post, other times I did not want to share.  Yet, here we are at the end of the year and I figured what the hell I will share what I have learned and what I have NOT blogged about;

1. The End of Warm Biscuit Partnership

Sadly we ended our 6 year relationship with The Warm Biscuit Bedding Company.  There was not knock-out drag out fight or an email battle, we just went our separate ways.  I will only say that with the tough Economy we need to be paid within our 30 day agreement or have a credit card on file - times are/were/still are tough.  Some larger companies are not able to do that - so that is that.

Truth is I really do miss working with them and the friendship I had with their founder, Vicki Bodwell.  What I miss most is the collaborative designing her like I used to do.  She was and is one of the most creative and talented people I have ever met.  Talking  to her could be exhausting at times, she would bounce from one idea to another - I could not take notes fast enough to keep up with her very active mind.  Yet, even if I was exhausted after the call I was ALWAYS energized, motivated and inspired.  I miss those calls.

2. Wall Tiles Fundraiser Project & Then Again

We did another wall tile fundraiser for a local grammar school in San Mateo.  The project lasted most of the first part of 2010 and was finished right before school ended.  When we ordered the tiles from our supplier and discussed the tiles being hung outside and in the sun, there response was something like (and yes I may be exaggerating, but they did say OK) "Okey Dokey sounds fine by us.....how do you want to pay for that?"  What they should have said was, "Um you should not have our tiles hung in direct sunlight because they will fade.....how do you want to pay for that?"

What happened is we had to do the tiles twice, because they were hung in direct sun light.  It was an unfortunate incident and I felt awful for the school.  However, I did the right thing and I got a discount when we re-ordered the tiles....again for the school.  Our supplier apologized for not being forthright and then asked for our credit card number.  A hard lesson to learn during a very hard year.

3. No Sales + Late Payments = Late or No Rent

For the first time in the last four years of renting our space we have NEVER not been able to pay rent.  This year I got to give the 'ol "Never Say Never" speech.  It was a very depressing fact and it was sobering to watch our sales slow down even more than the previous year.  If 2008 saw the Economy collapse, then 2009 was flat I would say 2010 just sucked.  Almost every one of my channels that I spoke with agreed with me - sales were worse in 2010 then 2009.  Other small business owners that I spoke with had similar experiences with their business.  So, we paid rent late and sometimes we paid it even later.  It was not my finest moment - but we survived. 

4. Businesses Are Still Closing Down

Sadly this year we said good bye to some fabulously talented women and businesses in our industry and some other industries.  Some of sales channels closed their doors, other companies focussed on direct and some artists closed up shop.  I will miss talking shop with these talented women;

• Kristen Sloop of Kootie Bug Designs
• Carrie Sommer of Sommer Designs
• Diane Cullen Page of CCC Gifts

There are countless other small boutique stores and websites that quietly closed their doors this year.  Many of them were run by some amazing women that I used to enjoy talking with over the past eight years.

5. Drooz Studio is Copied....Again

Even though I am amazed and maybe some would say a tad obsessed with artists copying other artists, I am still shocked when it happens.  And, it always seems to happen to the very talented Ms. Shelly Kennedy.  I almost wish she would just release new products she would put a disclaimer on the back of each piece that says something like;

"This original piece of artwork is great isn't it?  Please do not copy it - because I will find out.  I will not be happy and it is NOT legal.  Did you catch that last part?  It is illegal."

I do not know what or if anything happened when Shelly saw this product, her product copied and sold through another channel.  I can only imagine and hope she make them stop it.

6.  New Blog Home at The Mommie's Diaries....for a short time

After the demise of Silicon Valley Mom Blog this summer I wanted to find a new home where I could write about life with children.  I tried it out at Parenting on the Peninsula for a few months but it the end I bit off more than I could chew.  I had to blog once a week and it had to be up by 11:00 a.m Sunday morning.  I can't even blog on my OWN blog once a week let alone someone elses!  And, if you must know I do love me some sleeping in on the weekends when I am not being forced to hall my ass to some softball or soccer game.  So there.  I sadly had to give my resignation and I no longer blog for anyone but me!

7. 80 Ornaments You Say? Why, Yes We Can!

For the past three years we have gotten a rather huge order from a housing development back East.  And this year we got the same order.  We give the wonderful customer a small discount andd we make 80 ornaments for them to pass out to their entire neighborhood at their annual holiday party thing.  I had every intention of photographing the large order going out and then they were ribboned and shipped, but then I felt sort of weird about it and did not want to be a braggard.  So, for the record I am not braggin - just saying it was not all bad in 2010.

8. Celebrity Client Drew Brees & Then Some

Okay, so I have had celebrities before.  For the record Charlize Theron has my dog plates, Roy  Disney ordered a birth certificate for a relative, Oprah & Ellen have ornaments by me,  and Nicole Kidman got a birth certificate for a gift.  The woman who wrote Legally Blond once ordered 50 princess plates for her daughter's birthday party.  Larry Sanders sent a birth certificate to Adam Sandler and now I have made ornaments and a birth annoucement for the one and only Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

These are all just cool little tidbits I get to throw out there at cocktail parties and um when I try to impress an ex-boyfriend or a reporter.  Until one of these celebs decides to either have their child's room filmed for People Magazine or wanders around outside with my birth certificate around their neck - my business won't be changing much.  But still - happy to have 'em and shout out to Mr. & Mrs. Drew Brees and his family .

9. Moving On Down....Not Up

We are leaving our rental space and soon.  We need to find smaller and cheaper space.  It may even be (though doubtful) in another city.  When we got this space we had 4 other employees and it was the smallest space available in Foster City, oh and times were booming.  Now - not so much.  The thing is we could run the company in about half of the space we use now, and I could work from home more. 

We had a perfect place that I was super excited about moving into....and yes, re-decorating smaller, smarter - I had so many ideas.  And then while signing the 35 page contract I saw on the last page in itty bitty (well maybe not but still) font there was an extra $255.42 (yes I memorized it) added on to each month's rent.  Not that much you say?  Well, no it is not - but yes, it sort of is these days.  Worst yet was that it was SNUCK in there, had I not paid attention and signed the contract I never would have known.  So, I am back to trying to find us a new rental space.

10.  Life Is Shorter in 2010

This year has seen many friends get sick, marriages dissolve and worse - people have passed away.  I have seen first hand the devastating effects of disease and the loss of loved ones.  I have vowed to live more, love better and enjoy life.  I realize that it is not the end of the world if business is slow or even if we do close our doors.  Life is so short and so precious that I pledge to live each day to all it is worth.  When asked this holiday season how business was, I was able to honestly say, "It was not great, but that was fine.  I am healthy happy, my kids are healthy - we were good." 

Here is to wishing everyone who has taken the time to read/comment/spam my blog a very happy healthy (and maybe wealthy) new year.  May you have a better 2011 than 2o10 and may you live life to it's fullest.

Business Is Going

"No matter where you go.....there you are." ~Buckaroo Banzai 

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai was a movie I watched in the late eighties - it was campy, funny and the special effects were awful.  I am not even sure you could use the word effects.  As bad as the movie was I loved it, and thought it was hysterical.  The music was awesome too, so awesome I sat with my recorder and recorded the songs right off the TV.  That was about as technical as I was in my mid-teens.  I don't recall much about the movie  now, but I do remember this quote - and it about sums up me and my business these days.

Going Down, Down, Down

As 2010 comes to a close and the Economy seeming to just sit still, I get asked; 

"How's Jamie's Painting & Design doing?"  

Just like I got it asked in 2009 and the end of 2008.  Everyone wants to know how my business is doing.  And as much as I enjoy sharing about what I do for a living, I inwardly sigh when I am asked this.  I tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  My response:

"Bad.  Times are tough and sales are down."

I have spoken to many people in retail, and lots of other Entrepreneurs and they all agree - people's spending habits have changed.  I know the boom time bathing in money days are over, but I feel they I am optimistic that things will turn around.  History repeats itself and things will get better.

Most times, people just agree, we commiserate and we go on to other topics.  Topics like how our children are doing in school, the weather or what the latest is on Facebook.  But in the last two weeks these were a few zingers I got from some industry peeps, partners and friends:

"Oh, you mean it started when Obama was elected?"

"Oh sales are down because of the Democrats?"

"It is because you are all crazy in California, you voted in some awful people."

"Won't people start spending when the Republicans gain power?"

"It is all Obama's fault, someone should tell that man."

My response everytime goes a little something like this;

"Uh............okay no I do not agree, I actually strongly disagree with you.  I don't really care whether you are a Republican, a Democrat or a Tea Bagger...er Partier.  I don't.  I don't blame either party entirely.  My sales started going down slowly in 2007....did you hear me 2007?  They really fell off a cliff on September 30, 2008 - the day of the Financial Meltdown thingie (before Obama was elected).  I just would like someone to fix the Economy.  Fix it I say!  I don't care how, I just want people to start spending money again....money on my products!"

What People Mean

I know that people mean well, and they think they are saying the right thing.  I also know it is really much easier to just play 'The Blame Game' when faced with adversity or possible financial ruin.  I get it.  I just don't agree with it.  Politics and business do not mix well, nor do politics and people that do not have the same political views I have.  I am not saying anything brilliant, but I am just saying.....why must we blame one person and one political party?  Does anyone recall who was president when the country fell of a cliff?  I mean - could it be both their faults?  Could it then be both their responsibility to fix it.  With unemployment at about 10% I can see why people are not spending like crazy on gifts and wall decor for their children.  I just can't wait for them to start.

Moving Away from Honesty

To help me with these uncomfortable and often right sided conversations I think I need to change my response.  Maybe honesty is not the best policy, maybe they don't really want to know how I am doing.  It could be that they are just making small talk and I should do the same.  I think moving forward I am going to change my response to one of the following:

"Fine"

"I am keeping myself busy."

"It is what it is"

"What on earth did you do with your hair? I LOOOOVE it!"

"Why do you want to know?"

"None of your business."

"I don't want to talk about (sobbing and tears soon to follow) it"

"Have you ever heard of Buckaroo Banzai?"

Yes, instead of killing them with kindness, honesty and real tangible information I will be rude, deffensive and possibly dillusional.  If all else fails my last resort will be showing them a dog swimming with a dophin youtube video on my new phone.  That will change the subject I am sure.

Have I Said Everything?

I do not want to go back to the year I apologized constantly about my lack of posting - but my posts are lacking, or I am lacking the ability to post.  The last time this happened I got a large amount of emails and phone calls of people begging me to just shut up and blog.  Everyone was so sick of hearing me start each blog blushing with my head down and twisting my hat in my hands, begging for forgiveness.  I am older and not quite in the mood to ask for forgiveness these days.  I feel more like Popeye these days, swinging my muscled arms and stating, "I am what I am".

I have been asking myself how I have gotten to this point.  How could I have written all there is to write?  It is not like I have an army of apprentices that I call grasshopper.  I did not sell my business to Google or receive that most coveted call from The Oprah to feature my product.  None of those things have happened - so how could I know everything? Why do I have writer's block?  What is wrong with me?  This is what I have thought about so far:

Why This Even Started

I started writing this blog because I felt I had something to say, something that people wanted to hear.  I found nothing on the Internet that gave help, advice or even an honest view of what it took to run a business.  and not just any business, but a business run by a woman and most likely a mother.  Our problems were different, our solutions were creative and our failures were unique.  The words literally came bubbling out of me, like nothing I had ever known.  I did not realize I had so much I needed to share, or wanted to share.  I had to be vague sometimes and coy not sharing too much.  I felt that if my competition read this I would be in trouble.

As the years went by and some of my competition fell by the way side, went bankrupt or just kept hand painting, I became more open.  I am not being cruel or mocking them - I decided I just decided not to hand paint my tiles.  I felt I could either paint or I could design more and manufacture products.  I shared what had worked for me and I tried to explain how I did it.  I could produce more products (and better) for my customers, lots and lots of customers.  I am happy with my choice and I am not quiet about it.  I think my way was right, and um well it worked for me.  Yet, I am second guessing myself these days.  Did I share too much?  Was it better when I was not SO honest?

The Economy....Really Must We Go there Again?

The last two years have been hard...how many times have I written that sentence.  Anyone that can answer that question gets a years worth of SPAM and some new Ceramic Tiles for their child's room. I think I have beaten that poor dead horse enough.  Even though it has all but consumed me or the past years, I have sort of become a broken record

How many times can I discuss how hard the last two years have been?  Maybe not everyone has felt the pinch, probably the smaller the business the harder it has been.  Or it could be some industries suffered more than others?  Until the Economy rebounds and we are all spending money again, this weighs heavy me, hence why I write about it....a lot.  But, even I am getting tired of writing about it....I am sick of it - fix the Economy already!

Blogging to Blog or Blogging to Connect

Sadly, I sort of wonder if I have said everything I have to say that about running a business.  Without giving a list of my sales channels, my press releases and all of my bank account numbers I wonder if I am of done.  But still, I love to write - I enjoy to connect with others.  I am trying hard to find new topics to discuss.  I am not giving up, I am not closing down.  I am just wondering....what the hell else can I write?  (pst....that is not an open ended question either...I would REALLY like to know).

Do not worry, this is not my swan song, I am not riding my horse off into the sunset today.  I just thought I would be honest here (lying not my thing so much....but you knew that right?).  Truth be told I am frustrated.  I literally bang my head against the wall weekly, trying to figure out what to wear......write.  Not much has changed in the past few years, hence the head banging.  I am sure I will figure something out, or something will happen - it always does.

Don't Try This At Home

I have posted on this topic before, but I find that life just keeps repeating itself.  I don't want to say I put on my cranky pants today, I just feel like sometimes (being your elder and all) I need to give you some harsh lessons.  If you are an experienced business owner like moi, then this post will you do you no good.  However, if you think you may have once or twice (haven't we all?) over-stepped your bounds, read on. 

I find the longer I am an entrepreneur and own my own business the shorter my temper is and my ability to entertain idiotic odd requests.  These are in no particular order so do not think one holds more importance than another.  So if you are new to owning your own business and especially if you are a woman or a Mom, please read this list of things NOT to do:

What Not to Do in Small Business

1. Do not ask someone to borrow their biography/pitch/time line for your own publicity.  Do your own work!  Write your own biography and figure out what makes you and your company tick.  My story.....is MY STORY!  You can not use it, because it is mine.  You can try, I mean really - it is not hard I have had the story written over twenty times (and no I am not bragging), just do not ask me if you can borrow it....the answer is no.

2. Do not ask someone you do not know for contacts to a buyer, publicists, business owner or Oprah.  If you do not know them, you have no repertoire with them.  If you think it is okay to ask a total stranger for a contact that probably took them 3 years to get - then you are crazy.  Just because you read a blog post about someone does not make them required to share their contacts.  For the record, I do not know Dr. Phil personally, and I will not give you his phone number.

3. Do not copy my anyone's artwork or design.  I have gone over this for years, it is just wrong.  Come up with your own damn design....remember the Cheese it's commerical - get your own box.  If all you can do is look at someone else is doing and copy it, you are in the wrong line of work.  You are an entrepreneur, go create something amazing.

4. Do not spy on another company's booth at a Trade Show.  I mean by all means know what your competition is doing, but do not go up after they left and touch, pick, scrape and tap your competition's products.  They are probably watching you do that, and you look pathetic.  Take the high road, acknowledge them and then go back to your booth and do what you came there to do - sell products.

5. Do not screw your partners.  I believe in KARMA, and I think if you are a business owner and you refuse to pay the company's you work with then you are a big fat meany.  Worse yet is if you just up and walk away and leave those poor small companies without being paid - you suck.  Word gets around, us small business owners talk - it is not nice to steal from us.

6. Do not take what you have not been given.  Do not go and take photographs from some company and throw them all willy-nilly on your website.  We will find out.  Those photos are copyrighted and we own them.  Even though I am confident that you can copy/trace/duplicate any of my designs, that is not the point.  You have no right to offer to replicate them - it is against the law....and again not nice.

7. Do not tell one of your sales channels how you are going to copy a competitor.  Tsk, tsk, tsk on you.  You should be smarter than that now really.  All industries talk, and it does not take much to get us to spill the beans.  If you are planning on ripping off an idea one of your competitors has pretty much owned the market on, then keep it to yourself.  Your competitor will find out.....or she will figure it out.  I would actually suggest doing what you do well and minding your own business...but then again what do I know?  I have never had that happen to me.

8. Do not lie, be honest.  No one likes a liar, and we all know you are lying.  Tell it like it is - be honest.  If sales are down, own it.  If the Economy is kicking your butt - announce it.  Nothing ticks me off more than someone blogging, writing or tweeting (barf) how great business is and how the Recession is not affecting them.  Really?  Okay well if that is the case, and I doubt it - keep it to yourself.  When 95% of the country is suffering you should have the gumption to shut up, if you are doing so fabulous that is (and I doubt you are).

9. Do not blog just to get traffic.  I have been blogging for a long time, and I do it because I love it.  I am not Steinbeck, but I love to write and I felt I had something to share with other like-minded women.  If you are just blogging to brag about your accomplishments, announce a new design or because your web designer told you all the "kool kids" are doing it - you suck.  Yes, I meant that.  Blogging takes hours, it takes time and it takes someone with a huge backbone to blog about their industry and trials and tribulations of their business.  And on that note....blogging once every 3 months does NOT get you any more traffic, nor does it make you a writer.

10. Don't Lie or Fake it.  I have often written about how I would never let on how small my business was when it was run out of the house.  However, I did not lie - I always said, "We are in the studio" and that is where we were.  Faking it as an artist, designer or a very successful sales channel does not do anyone any good.  You just tend to  jeopardize your reputation.  People will find out if you are lying about your sales, employees, accounts or where you got your ideas.  Liars forget they are lying - remember that.

Okay, did not mean to be so negative....and no the Economy is not picking up.  I can honestly say some weeks are good, others are bad and a few are actually horrid.  I talk to lots ot people and this is the truth.  If you have rent and have employees - you get what I am saying.  I may not be saying it eloquently - but I am being honest.  So, to quote an old show from when I was a kid (Hill street Blues), "Let's all be careful out there."

The Past Six Months

July 12, 2010.

It has been a long, long....really long last six months at JPD.  Just getting a new website up and running - even working with real engineers -  is a ton of work.  The designing, up loading, the writing copy, correcting copy, swapping out images - all of it hs been exhausting - and that is just added work on top of the every day grind of running a business during a Recession.  And I have not even done most of the work.  I have done my share, but not even close to the bulk of it.

Re-launching Jamie's Painting & Design

The relaunch is scheduled for just a few weeks away.  I am optimistic that it will go off with out a hitch and we will have a smooth transition and make tons and tons of money and live happily ever after...........uh ya okay.  Sorry, I wish I could just have all positive thoughts, write a mantra or post a fabulous affirmation on my mirror - but I can not, that is not me.  I am not negative, I am a realist - oh wait maybe a negative realist, or a realistic negative person.....food for thought none the less. 

Honestly, I am trying to just go with the punches and let it go, or just accept what I can not change.  Life running a small business can be is very challenging.  Sometimes to make  myself feel better I make lists.  Some lists are things to do, things I wish for or this list.  This is all the sort of kind of annoying things that just happened to us these past 6 months.  This list sucks.  

Jamie's Top Ten List of Things that Sucked This Year

1. The logo alone was a topic of debate for everyone and their brother to discuss.  It had to be done, it was time.   Oh hell, was it painful and I had to defend my choices, then I had to go and second and third guess myself.  I like the new logo - we are going with the new logo......change is good I think, right?  Yes - I mean YES....
2. Finding the time to upload about 300 products, prices, descriptions and images to a new site takes a..........sorry was going to use some swear words, anyhoo it takes a very long time.  Many, many hours in front of the computer just adding images to an excel spreadsheet took time.
3. The economy is not better and times are still tough.  It takes money to do things, lots and lots of money.  We can get creative with financing, we can do much ourselves - but in the end nothing is free.  Doing the whole "running a company on a shoe string" is not so fun going on year two of the never ending Recession.
4. Just like that supplies can sell out.  Our Children's China line is temporarily sold out as of about 3 weeks ago.  The distributor is based in China, and China being China has not shipped any plates to the USA in like forever.  They may not ever ship them again.  One of our suppliers has refused to carry the plates, we found a new supplier that says they will be in stock early August.  We are not sure that will happen (and of course this happened after we had uploaded all the China plates.....yep).
5. The cost of our large ornaments and the drilling of them has made us re-think the product.  With budgets tighter and trees smaller the big honking 6 inch 2 pound ornament was not cutting it.  We decided to drop the product.
6. Some of the press I got is gone....gone Daddy gone.  It just does not exist on the web any longer.  A few blog posts about JPD, an article I wrote that was syndicated across the country and my first product placement in a magazine.  Those losses sucked, but the worst was my first National TV placement.  Working with Warm Biscuit Bedding my Christmas ornament  was featured on the CBS Early Show back in Christmas of 2005.....I accidentally deleted it off of Tivo.
7.  Some of our ribbon we use for our products has been discontinued- not a huge deal, but worth mentioning.  Just go get it somewhere else you say?  Not so easy, and not so realistic.  When it is gone - it is gone.  We buy our ribbon from a wholesaler, we have worked with this super big company for ages....I can't just run into my local fabric store and demand 15 rolls of a specific springtime gingham check ribbon.
8.  The crows ate our duck eggs, well not ours but these two ducks have visited me for the past four years at the office.  The Mommy duck laid 3 eggs at the end of May in one of our flower pots.  We were thrilled with the excitement of baby ducks this summer.  Then those awful damn crows ate 'em.
9. Our fridge in the break room is dying a slow death.  It leaks water and the freezer section does not work any longer.  You have no idea how cranky some people at JPD (that would be) will get without their Green Iced Teas frosty cold during a long work day.
10. My laptop is also on it's last leg.  Getting a new laptop is exciting - but paying for it, well I think I already mentioned how tight things were.  I just can not bring myself to buy a new one till this one dies for real.  I did buy a back up drive so that I am not losing anything....I hope.

Such is Life and There is a Silver Lining

A few weeks ago a friend and I were gabbing about life, kids, gossip - it was a run on conversation we were having when we had a few free minutes.  And, as it always does with me, the conversation changed when she asked, "How is business?".  I was honest, I was brutal and I did not pretend that we were bathing in hundred dollar bills and drinking wine out of golden goblets.  As I was giving gruesome details about how much the business has changed I sort of had an epiphany.  I thought that maybe this was just a bump in the road and maybe it was sort of a good thing.

It is no secret that for the past two school years I have volunteered my little heart out at my children's school.  I have done what I would have once pointed and laughed at other Mothers for volunteering to do.  I have loved parts of it, I have hated other parts.  I have made friends, I have probably ruffled more than a few feathers.

But the point is I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to help out at school and spend countless hours with my children.  Had business been booming I never would have ventured down this road.  So after being totally honest about business I told her, "You know what is good about this?  With our sales down, it gave me the opportunity to volunteer at school, something I never would have been able to do.  I am not glad that things are slow, but I am glad at how I spent my time."

Oh jeez, look at me now!  I had go all positive energy mantra on y'all.  Damn it, I guess I am more of a positive realist or a used to be negative now realist....who would have known?

Summer Vacation & Then Some

July 27, 2009. August 9, 2009

"Hey Jamie, the Economy has your business way down, sales are 1/2 of what they were a year ago and you let go some employees, which means you are doing a lot of jobs you did not used to do.  What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going went to Disneyland!"

Cue the song, "When you wish upon a star....."  Fade out to Jamie and her family riding off happily ever after on Cinderella's carriage.  Jamie (naturally) will be wearing a princess gown and or crown, waving her princess wand to the crowd.  Ya, right....but I did get to go to Disneyland!

Not that we did not have a great time but Disneyland in the middle of summer is hot - which I knew, yes but I was hoping it was not thathot.  It was a great way to let loose, act like a child and um, well - let's just say I am really happy that I keep good care of my teeth and body and that I have some edumacation.  If just one more lady (or man) came towards me in their scooter and tried to pretend they did not notice almost running me and my children over I was going to go rambo on their ass ahem....not really - but it was bad.

Everybody Needs a Break

Yep that's right, even in the worst Economy we have seen in years, or my adult lifetime (that I owned a business that is) we scraped our money together and went to Disneyland.  We had not been in 4 years, and I amwas excited.  We closed down JPD for a week...no worries, we worked the weekend we get back to ensure everything ships on time, and we still ship when I am out of town (JPD is sort of like the happiest place on earth, I just sprinkle a little pixie dust around and magically everything falls in to place - snort!).  Pssst....our shipping clerk and the woman that does our ribbons is not going on vacation with us - that is our pixie dust that keeps us afloat.  Me loves them two people something awful.

I have not blogged in a while - a long while.  No apology.  Just a fact.  I have actually been enjoying the summer and reading almost anything I could get my hands on.  Twilight. Check. Jen Lancaster. Check. Julie & Julia. Check. Better Home & Garden, Sunset Magazine, Pottery Barn.Check, Check and well - just browsing. 

It is funny my business books and my Entrepreneur Magazines have been stacking up, but I don't really care.  We are coming up on year seven this November and truth be told I am not really in to reading anything about people in business.  It has made wonder if the thrill is gone?  I know it is not because I know everything there is to know about running a business - I am just not wanting to read about business....Maybe I will again, I am sure I will - but it is like, "Why bother?"

Working on....Everything

• I started this JPD Facebook Fan Page  a few weeks, or months ago - I can't keep track.  I am not one to peddle it to all my friends quite yet, but I will once I get a handle on it and fix it up.

• Designing a new website.  It has been I think 5 years since we had this done - maybe longer.  Last time we had a friend design it - now I am helping out.  We need to do it, and it is not my strong suit at all - Graphic Design....not so much.

• It's Christmas time again.  I need to work on Holiday Products soon....

• My kids had no camps, nothing this summer.  We shuffled them around between my husband, my parents and many playdates.  It was actually really nice and relaxing and we slept in more times that not.

Predicting the Future of the Economy?

So, I don't think that I am an Economist or a person that follows the stock market and predicts trends - I mean I positive I don't know how to do either of these things.  However, something is happening at that has everyone (all 7 of us...or 8 if you count my husband, wait 10 woo hoo my kids worked today also) is starting to look up.  Something is in the air or the money is starting to flow again.

And it Always Comes Back to Name Tiles

Seven years ago almost to-the-day (my daughter just turned seven) I came up with the first Name Tiles for her room...I know you have heard the storybefore.  Blah, Blah our flagship product - nothing like it before, themes ceramic, personalizing a child's room.  Any hoo, in the last two years our sales for this particular product have started to slip.  And they really started slipping this year. 

In a normal year and with hundreds of channels we would sell anywhere from 100,200 even 300 a week during the Holiday Months - Name Tiles that is.  Hundreds of Name Tiles sold a week.  This year - 26, 14 or the worst week ever 7 Name Tiles sold in a week after the first of the year.

Some people might keep this information close to the vest, not me.  I have no problem admitting that our sales have been down.  Some products have spiked, others not so much. I am more proud that we are still in business and seem to have weathered the worst of the Economy-Recession-Storm.  Anyhoo....for about a year and a half we have noticed Name Tiles slipping, and slipping alot.  Until two weeks ago.

We picked up a new store in the midwest and we had a big week.....well a big week for this Economy.  We sold 99 Name Tiles in one week, all of a sudden sales were up.  This week I think we were in the 70's.  Our Birth Tiles and Name Plaques have stayed steady week after week - not great, but steady sales.  The thing with the Name Tiles that makes this so relative is that they are our most expensive product. 

The Name Tiles retail for $13.00 a letter, and we have a minimum of 3 letters.....they are an extravagant decoration for your child's room.  Not crazy pained mural wall hanging for thousands of dollars crazy, but still our high end product.

This may be a fluke, this may turn right back around, wait or go bad next week - but for now I am taking it as a sign.  Three weeks in a row of heavier Name Tiles sales....I think I may be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Also, I am sort of (okay really) proud of the fact that we have been able to survive on so little - I mean we are surviving this, and I am hoping we will come out of it leaner, meaner and a smarter business.  And if that does not happen - I can always sell tile on the side of the road thing. Right?  I am right? I hope....

I Will Survive

January 27, 2008.

How does the song go, "First I was afraid, I was petrified, just thinking how I could live without you by my side.......just thinking oh so many night of how you did me wrong" you get my drift right?  I will survive without the big and the small accounts that do not pay me, or um steal, or refuse to pay me.  I am not going any where.

Hang In There Baby !

Woah....that last post was good to get off my chest.  I am very thankful for all the support, well-wishes, karma, tweets, Facebook support and even that one person who was willing to beat up the people that aren't paying me.  No need, really - a black eye won't put money in my pocket.  It is good (and bad at the same time) to also hear that there are so many others that know what I am going through. I really wanted to keep up the positive attitude and to keep my chin up - but this is reality folks.  I am humbled and sad that so many entrepreneurs "get" what I am going through - at least I am not alone.

When the money stops at the top, it stops all the way down to those of us that own a  small business.  Anyone in the wholesale business understands that you never get paid by everyone on time, but when a lot of our top channels don't pay and sales are bad, I can not and will not be the bank.  I am in business to make money - not lend it.

As I have stated earlier, I am not going down without a fight - as long as people still want to purchase my products - I will still sell them.  Maybe off the back of my pick-up truck at the Flea Market....no gosh I hope not, I am kidding.  I have other options.  Here are some possible ideas for those of you (and for me) that are in my boat:

Show Me The Money

As of February 1, 2009 Jamie's Painting & Design will only ship products that are paid for.  We drop ship which works when people pay their bills, those days seem to be in the past.    We have carried companies for months until we were paid.  Not anymore - no wiggle room.  Best quote ever about selling wholesale came from Pamela Barsky, "If I dropped every company that did not pay on time I would not be in business" - it is just the nature of the beast.  In this Economy I am not willing to carry over $5000 for companies that may never pay me.  I can not wait 90, 120 or forever for Company X to send me a check....

Back to reality - if you use a credit card great I ship your product.  If you pay net 30 - tell your customer how long it will take and why.  That is it- I am done playing Mr. (Mrs.) Nice Guy - I am done.  The sales channels get the money up front, me I wait 30, or 60 days....or I never get paid.  My taxes this year....not pretty.*

I am usually not so hard on any one part of my business - I usually make exception, bend the rules.  Those days are over...when dealing with money that is.   

*Just so we are clear I would like to make it very clear that not ALL my channels do not pay.  Some I have been with since the beginning of time, some for a few months - and never had one problem.  I would say the majority have been fabulous....just like in life though a few bad apples can spoil the bunch.

Diversify Your Funds

Ya, ya I know this is not about funds but you could spread yourself (and business out).  Now is not the time for an ego or a  "um I am sorry I do not do that" - uh , yes you do.  My creative cap is on and I am entertaining lots of different products, ideas - even partnerships.  To stay alive now I need to Do It and do it well. 

• Do favors, take special orders, those companies that stayed alive in bad times tend to not only survive but succeed in the future. 
• Do not let your ego get in the way of making a buck.  I am not saying you should do things you do not believe in, or jeopardize what you and your company stands for - but do not get all uppity now.  Everyone is struggling.
• Do make the hard decisions now, before someone else forces your hand
• Do keep your head up and your eye on the ball or the money...whatever - stay focused
• Do stay positive

Call me crazy, call me optimistic but seriously if you can stick with it for what, 11 more months??  The latest report say that we should be out of this Recession in 3 months - that is not too long.

Where Can you Squeeze?

If you rent space (like me) you have the problem of paying rent (and probably employees).  Though it is not ideal we have considered renting out my front office - no, not my dream - but better than going out of business.  We are not ready for this - but it may become a way to keep money coming in when my channels are not paying.

• Do you have extra space? 
• Can you rent our warehouse space? 
• Can you share with another growing company?
• Can you re-negotiate your lease?  Can you get out of it?
• Can you move the business back in your house? 
• Can you cut back on office perks?  

Those of us that are small business owners get it - there is a reason we are small.  We are mostly lean mean machines - yet we survive, we are able to make it work.  However, when you are so lean you are already at your wits end - and then to have the trouble we have now.  It can be hard, but you have to prevail, you have to get by with less - no one ever said running a business was glamorous.  I do try to pretend it is though.

We have a huge warehouse in the back, where we do our shipping, make tiles, etc.  We moved things around - created some extra space - and rented it out.  Not ideal, sort of an eye soar.......but every time I see it all I think of is "cha-ching".     

Hate to Say it....Everyone can be Replaced

I found this out the hard way - as most of us do, I was replaced (more than once).   I have been on both sides of this fence, the one being let go and the one letting someone go.  I empathize with both - I understand how tough decisions need to be made.  And, well the big guy making the big bucks....no that is not describing me - but he makes the tough decisions.

I hate to write this down, but it must be said.  Companies large and small are laying off people - it happens.   We have all experienced it, either by watching a parent or ourselves, a friend or a spouse lose their job.  It is a blow to your ego that takes a while to get over. It is horrible, it sucks and I know from first hand experience and as a child watching my father get laid off.  It can suck all of the energy out of you and make you believe you are not worth of the career you chose.  However it means staying in business or closing up shop:

• Can you scale back your employees hours? 
• Is a pay cut out of the question?
• Can you combine two positions into one? 
• Can you find work for another employee? 
• Can you cut your pay back?
• Close business on Fridays?  Mandatory days off?

No fun jobs, tons of work - but do you want to be able to sleep at night.  Having empathy for your employee that is being laid off is key, and trying to help them through it is human.  If you can find a way to not do it - good, if you have to do it -be nice.  Remember we are all human and sometimes we all need to break up.

Know When to Fold Up

I hate to say this but uh....running a business is not for the weak of heart or anyone with a thin skin.  If you are not a 100% committed, now is the time to cut and ship bait - oh wait ship and cut bait?  Whatever the saying is, if you are not ready for this tough year ahead, or if your heart it is not in - worse if your family can not afford the sacrifice - don't do it.  Now is not the time to make everyone around you suffer.  I am not being negative - I am being realistic.  I would like to think I am a sarcastic realist, instead of a negative pessimist.  You have to be willing to make the tough choices, sacrifices and go without.  If your heart is half in it.........really, why bother?

Me Me Me & My Company

My heart is still in it - I still choose to fight.  I have other options.  I am going to do whatever it takes (legal people - give me some credit) to make sure Jamie's Painting & Design survives.  I will cut back, I will make more adjustments and I will have no problem with it.  I do not think now is the time for me to get all um, big headed or "Jamie don't do that" on ya'all - I can scrub a toilet, ship a package, call a sales rep, do a produt sketch, call a sales channel and empty the garbages in one hour.    At this time I will do anything to stay alive. 

Good luck to everyone - I hope my suggestions (and solutions for my business) help you out....anyone have any other ones....send 'em over please.   Pretty please... 

The Elephant in the Room

January 22, 2008.

We Need to Talk

Okay, so I have not really wanted to talk about it, I admit it.  I have been acting like a man, a boy, a dude - if I ignore it long enough maybe it will just go away.  I am guilty as charged, I have not addressed the problem head on.  I tried to....really I did.  The times I wanted to "talk" about it though you were always like talking about something else, or I could not put my emotions into words.  So, I have pulled or more like ripped the band aid off and I am here all naked............no wait I DID not mean that - I mean raw, or vulnerable....yes I am ready! 

My Background

On a side note I must say that this reminds me of the time I got dumped, and I mean dumped with a capital "D".  When I was in college I dated a boy ( he was so not a man) who had his heart stomped on and spit out by his ex-girlfriend.  He thought he was finally ready to date again, and he picked me......oh how I wish he picked someone else.  We dated for like 4 or 5 months, I was quite taken with him - he treated me super nice, was not hard on the eyes and well I thought I was in love. 

Fast forward to the end of the relationship when he seemed to have quite the wandering eye, enjoyed spending time with anyone else but me and I found him flirting with my friends on vacation.  So, while I was in some um, sorority meeting thing I get a voice mail message; "we need to talk...but not tonight, later maybe another day."  Me being me, Ms. Won't take no for an answer and insist we talk now - I needed to know what was going on.  I drove to his apartment and he sits me down on his couch and utters these now infamous words, "Remember when I said I loved you?  I lied."

Yep - try to swallow that one down.  What a painful pill that was to take.  Years later I have told that story multiple times to many women and I am actually able to laugh about it.  I mean it makes a great story, right?  Some friends from college will back me up and confirm that actually happened - I love me a good story, but I could not make that one up.

Accepting the Inevitable

Anyhoo.....not sure if that little incident brought me to where I am to day or not - but it does conjure up a few smiles - which I could use right now.  So, as I stated I am ready to talk.....we need to talk.  I will have to now address the Big Elephant that has been in the room for awhile.  I have hinted at it, I have pointed at it, I have even explained how it hurts me - but I have not been completely honest.  Times are tough, it is bad - and there does not seem to be an end in sight.

• Sales for 2008 were sluggish, it started in the beginning of the year.  We watched our sales month after month decline - but we thought that they would pick up over the Holiday Season. 
• We were smart, we did pay attention to sales - we did everything in our power to save money.   We got shipping breaks, we purchased in bulk, we cut back, we improvised - we did make those few dollars we got stretch.
• The end of September when the Stock Market-Financial Crisis-Credit-Mortgage-Crash Thing happened our sales stopped.  For the first time in the  history of my company we had no sales for days.  We have over 200 sales channels - and we had not one sale.  People were not shopping, and they were not using their credit cards on line.
• Christmas looked good - nothing like the past years, but we rallied, we did well.  We shipped, we did favors, we took orders right up until Christmas.  We worked hard and created a lot .(not a ton, just a lot) of product that we happily shipped to the customer.  The future  may not have looked bright, but it was looking up. *

*As a drop-shipper and as a little guy (or gal) that works with all sizes of business - we ship our product and then we bill be the sales channel.  No, no the ideal way to run a company, but it had worked in the past - and some of these stores had policies in place before I came along.

The Aftermath

Not long after Christmas we had some bad news.......um some really, really bad news. 

• First we found out one of our largest channels filed for bankruptcy.  We still do not know if we will ever get paid by them - the Bankruptcy courts protect them - ouch! 
• Next another new large account could would not pay their bills until they spoke with their investors (they had already re-structured years before)....this one hurt more.  We never thought one of the Big Guys would not pay us - never occurred to us - never say never, believe me, I KNOW! 
• Other accounts were behind, some not paying on time, some lost invoices, check is in the mail.....starting to sweat a little now.  
• Many sales channels seemed to have had their credit cards maxed out.......day, after day, after day we tried to run charges.  Now I am blowing into a paper bag so I do not pass out.
• One sales channel had a health emergency and we have yet to be paid by them.

 Those that actually answered or calls or emails had an excuse, some just ignored our calls all together.  Or my personal favorite......lied about it, and when the check was sent.  The fact is that each one alone did not amount to a lot of money (well no not true a few did amount to a lot of money).  Mesh them together, add the almost extinct sales for the Holiday Season + Slow January Sales = putting my company in a very, very bad place.

When I started Jamie's Painting & Design I was green, I was new - I was literally so happy to get an account I did not pay close attention to the terms.  It was not too important when I was running the business out of home.  Margins?  We are fine?  Terms?  Whatever?  Sales, sales - if I sell it they will pay.  What I did not know would not hurt me, or so I thought.  As soon as I left the safe haven of a "no rent studio" I soon came to understand how important it was for our channels to pay and pay on time. 

Which brings me to where we are today.  We are not good.  Things are looking bad.  Bankruptcy court protects companies that declare bankruptcy - what if they take me down with them?  Do I get a bail out too?  So Congress, Mr. President where is MY bail out?  Companies that have no money.....no wait companies that spent the money I was owed, they got paid - me....not so much.  A maxed out credit card may never free up any funds. 

Fun  A Fact: A  small business that drop-ships and works with large/small/medium companies........can get screwed.

The Future Looks Grim

I do not want to really burst anyone's bubble, and sadly I heard that a few business in our industry have already closed up and declared bankruptcy - this makes me sad.  I do not want to become one of those businesses.  I can and will fight to survive - problem is we were already a lean-mean-well run machine.  People say I am resourceful, creative - they say I will figure it out.  Maybe I will.  I do know one thing though - if our channels do not pay us we can not survive.

Most Stressful Time of the Year

December 18, 2008 ---ah, oops I mean December 27, 2008...........Nope December 28, 2008. 

That's it, I am done, I am finished.  It's Over Johnny!  Pack it up, move it out.....we are out of here!  I have officially been replaced as Matriarch of the house by the Wii.....yes it is true.  My family live, breath and drink the Wii.  Even my two dogs, who got dog beds have given up on me.....they are sleeping contently in the room with the Wii as the rest of my family entertains themselves for hours on end with that damn toy.  Curse you Wii!

Yet, on a side note I was able to clean out the house, donate toys and clothes and finish a blog post.  May not be everyone's best day - but for me, heaven!  I also slept in to some unforsaken hour today that I will not ever repeat, so shoot me if I seem overly optimistic!

Okay, no I am not quitting, or closing up shop but I am done (we are done for the year) with shipping out our products for Christmas - got everything done yesterday, last Wednesday.  We rallied at the end, who knew one could work 12 hours a day for 6 straight days and not go crazy? 

The Efficiency Queen Fails

I think I have made it very clear how we strive to be efficient here at JPD.  It is what helps us stay lean and mean - and make all of our promises to our customers and sales channels.  Running a small business that is not efficient is like running in circles, with scissors.  I as the business owner need to wear many hats, some years I wear more than others.  I know it is just a must, but I was not so great at a few things:

Made 5 errors on 5 different Birth Certificates 

I was (in my defense) multi-tasking and my kids were acting very um....kid-like.  I was for sure not focusing and I screwed up.  The good news is they were caught before going out the door so we fixed them quickly.  It became a joke in the work room as the ribbons were put on the tiles, I would hear, "Um Jam, I found another mistake!"  Oh how I would cringe as they piled up!

Shipping Labels are not my thing 

I never get them right, well no most times or sometimes I do get them correct, but I make many mistakes.  I mean okay I get them right, but I forgot how labor intensive it was to make them, and even though we shipped everything out I did not get the correct tracking number to a few channels.  I am an anal super organized person, with a great memory for products............however I do make mistakes.  

My office is a mess  

It is messy, it needs to be cleaned....and I do not have the energy to do it.  Oh well - such happens when you ship out 2 weeks of work in 2 days.  I figure I will clean when I am dead (just like Martha Stewart, I will sleep when I am dead).  I am talking the whole office is covered in crumbs, and I have not been there since um.....oh gosh I don't know when.  Tuesday?  I need to do a deep cleaning, organize and possibly get some decorating advice from the divine Ms. Kennedy - if you have not seen her work area do drop by.  Just try not get to green with envy before you take a peek - gosh knows I did!

The Good Side of the Coin

We kept open longer this year - what I mean is we took orders from our customers and channels up until December 15th.   Now, to get across the country (we are based in California) we had to ship everything out by the latest on December 17th............drum roll please....we did it!  My employees, my husband, we got it all out. 

The crazy part is after working all Monday night to get products done by Tuesday, we kept taking orders yesterday - that would be Wednesday.  We got orders yesterday morning, made the tiles, ribboned them, got a label and shipped them out to arrive by Christmas.  It was a crazy day with laughing and sighing  (I mean singing, we had the Christmas carols blasting through out the office, much to the chagrin of my Dad and our Shipping Clerk - who uttered last Thursday morning, "Oh Thank GOD only one week left of Christmas Carols!") but we did it.  So thrilled to have gone above and beyond what I had promised my sales partners.  I am already thinking about shortening my turn around times once again.....after seeing what we did at Christmas time.  Take that hand-painting!

Money in the Bank

It is no secret that the Economy is struggling.  Our sales are off to say the least - I wish I could spin it more positively and say something about re-adjusting our expectations....but somehow the word sucks sounds better.  When we look at our numbers - Christmas ended up good - we did good.  When I compare them to last years numbers, a horse of a different color if you need a description.

Yet, I want to stay positive, realize that we could be worse.  We could have gotten no orders this season.  I am very thankful we continued to get orders.  As I stated much earlier this year, I feel that as long as you continue to sell items to your customers, they won't forget you.  Whatever we are doing we need to stay in front of our customers and make sure they remember us.  Because, even I know this will turn around, the Economy will improve....not sure when, but it will fix it self some day!

Ask & You Shall Receive

I have learned to ask questions of my sales channels, this has been hard but I do it.  I ask if they want exclusive designs, promotional sales partnerships, if they like my products, how they are selling, what I can do to improve.  

The one question I asked that has been pivotal in one new product is - what am I missing in my line.  Don't be afraid of asking this, you may be able to improve your products, add something new to the mix OR not.  Also, you may not like the answer - so be prepared for what they tell you - do you know, if you don't ask you won't ever know.

Looking to the Future

As crazy as it sounds I am actually excited about two new products for 2009 (and no they are not coffee cups for tots, though some mornings my six year old could use a cup of java).  I can not believe I am expanding - but I am.  I feel the need to bring one more product into the mix, and I also feel the need to do it fast.  

I am super excited by it also - really, I could not be more excited.  It is a bit scary to think of a new product, or a new concept - but it is what keeps me sane.  I can not sit here any longer and scream the sky is falling....cause it is, I get that.  Nothing keeps me more positive than developing something new, painting new designs - working to develop a great product.   

Who knows what the future will have in store for me, or Jamie's Painting & Design - I can not guess.  I can only forge ahead, keep my head up, wait and see.  I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season with your businesses and especially your families.  I wish I had posted this a few weeks ago, however life got in the way of my blog.  Just like it always does!

Maybe in 2009 I can get this blog back to the front burner of life and post daily.......um well if sales stay slow might be possible.  Well - I can wish anyways - to POST daily, NOT the Economy thing!  

How Wholesale Businesses Get Paid

October 1, 2008.

I have been following the financial "crisis" rather closely the last few, oh I don't know um 18 months!  How could I not be following it?  What small business owner is not checking her list once or twice, finding out which company has been naughty (not paying bills on time) or nice (uses a credit card)?  We have all heard the sob stories of how times are tough, blah blah blah - I hear ya, I am there and times are hard.  Sales are down, times are hard - now not live in a box, wear a potato sack, make rock soup hard - but being a small business owner right now - not so fun.

I wrote another post about this very topic over at Silicon Valley Mom Blogs.  I think here though I may take a different approach, a not so much Chicken Little but more a what I call,

"If you do not pay me I won't ship your product, and if I don't get paid I don't get to EAT!" 

The Beginning

Just so we are all on the same page I thought I would tell you how my business works, not how everyone does it just how I do it.  My way is neither right nor wrong - but it has worked for a number of years.  I have my products sold through channels, these are sales channels that have already existed before lil' old me came along.  I have lots and lots of channels, sales channels that all do their billing, their payment schedule, their advertising, um their list of who gets paid first differently.  Sometimes I am on top, and sometimes I am not.  Humor me as I go through the details:

The Wholesale Process

1. So - let's just say a popular children's online store sells one of my birth certificates: $35.00 (that is the retail price).
2. Then they charge the customer a $10.95 for shipping.
3. A $2.95 handling fee.
4. Let's add in a $5.00 gift wrap.
5. Next the on line store takes the customer's credit card and charges the customer a total of....wait for it.....hold on I must add on the fly, carry the 1, add the 5 okay got it: $53.90.
6. Confirm order has been taken, send nice thank you email to customer that order will be shipped in less than two weeks.
7. Automatically (or manually) generate an email that goes to my company placing the order.
8. My company sends an email back, confirms the order.
9. We put the order through our process.
10. We have the art made, it is put on the tile. It is personalized, can not be re-used or returned.
11. We put the ribbon on the tile.
12. We kit the order.
13. We make a shipping label for the order and we send an email to sales channel with tracking number and ship date (yes we are efficient like that).
14. We gift wrap the order.
15. We ship the order on time, just like we promised.
16. We bill the company for the order we made.

It has now been two weeks since we made this order.  We are out the money for purchasing the tile, the ribbon, the gift wrap, paying the employees to make the tile, ribbon the tile, shipping the tile.  We have done our part of the bargain - we have kept up our part of the bargain, am I repeating myself again?

The Payment for the Sale

1. We sell the tiles wholesale for $17.50 (the sales channel doubles the price).
2. We charge $10.95 shipping charge, this is a charge determined by Fed Ex, we don't profit.
3. We charge a $2.50 handling fee, it may be lumped into shipping but we have to make a box, wrap it in bubble wrap,use popcorn, seal it, label it.
4. We charge a $5.00 gift wrap fee - consists of wrapping paper, ribbon and a hand signed gift card.
5. We are owed $$33.45

Now you are probably thinking, what is the big deal Jamie?  Why do you want your money so bad?  It is not that much money to haggle over, just sit tight and wait for the money. 

"I Want My Two Dollars!"

Let's just say for argument sake that we have a 30 day net with this company and we trust they will hold up their part of the bargain.  You are correct- we are set up for this, we are fine waiting 30 day.....yep, 30 days, we will wait - and after 30 days?  Then what?  Let's just say 30 days comes and goes, we send out a reminder that they need to pay. 

But you see dear friend the sales channel took a credit card - the money cleared 48 hours after they took the order.   And I am not just waiting 30 days for that payment, I am waiting the two weeks it took to make the order(14 days) + 30 days before I get paid.....44 days IF they pay on time.  If they pay on time - all is great, all is good - what I signed up for a "win win".  However, if they do not:

By day 45 we have sent out numerous reminders, phone calls and still not a response.  At this point we threaten to hold all orders - which we do with a nice, but stern email stating why we are going to be holding any existing orders if this is not taken care of.  By day 60 we send out another email continuing saying now we will hold orders and we send the email to the owners, the customer service, the accounting department (again) and we are still out all of our money. Let's also say that this is not the only invoice we have outstanding with this company - let's say there are like 10?  Hmmmm.....shoot now I have to do math again, 10 x $33.45 = $334.50.

Fast forward to about 90 days and we still have not been paid. We refuse to accept orders.  Again, a little problem in our process, having to shout "NO DON"T SHIP THEIR ORDER!"  Or put post-it's on all the orders not to process - again, a tad irritating when we held up our part of the bargain.  We start to consider suspending our partnership and contacting the poor customers products we have.  Well, it can not get worse right? Right?

Bye Bye Sales Channel

One day while surfing the ol' internet we see the company is gone. The website is gone.  The phone number is disconnected.  There is no one to contact to pay us, there is no forwarding address.  Our last email came back as undeliverable. We can not find them on Google, we can not chase them down for our measly $300.  I feel bad they went under, I feel bad the company closed - I can not imagine how hard that is, but what about me?  What about me getting paid?  What the heck did they do with the money?  Pay someone else? Pocket it? 

Multiply this time 5, 10, 15 or even 20 channels?  What if more and more of my channels stopped paying their bills or went out of business?  Ten channels - heck that is rent payment right? That is a salary.  Heck just ten of those is huge....huge I tell you, and I am not kidding.  It has not gotten that bad yet, but it has happened, we have lost channels, we have lost money.

Blame it On the Economy

I got into business because I wanted to own this, I wanted to be in charge - I know that.  Nor have I ever been in business during a down turn, a recession a (gulp) Depression - all has been good.  This just one example of what has happened to me.

Now this is easy for me to blame to the economy, gas prices, raising food cost, whatever.  However, as a small business owner if I don't get paid I can't stay in business.  Then I don't spend money.  That affects other businesses that I would purchase from - my tile company, ribbon company, office supplies, phone company, shipping supplies - I can't pay those people.  Not to mention my people, I can't pay my people.

The Economy Affects Everyone

I have tried to explain this little fun scenario (not so fun right?) to those nay-sayers that tell me all is fine.  Yes, all is fine....for now.  But this little story I tell you about one channel - it is not made up.  It is true.  And companies paying late, or not paying is more common than I can tell you.  We do try to make companies pay for first order, pay up front, pay before shipping or pay with credit card.  Most of our channels are very good partners and we always try to work with them if we can - we understand.

And most (make that 99%) of the companies are not like this, I work with some of the bestest mostest wonderful channels, some I can call friends, even really, really good friends.  But even good friends can't pay you sometimes....*

*Please note that I will not divulge which company this was, nor will I say who pays and who does not.  I have hundreds of sales channels and only a little more than a handful are EVER a problem.  The solution is to communicate with the other company, so both understand how they can make payments or how we can help.  This post was just to make people understand that if the economy is in trouble it trickles down to us small business owners....all of us.  And yes if you must know this is a true story, and NO this was not a friend....and yes I am still mad.